Gospel Story Implications
Friday, December 5, 2014
Tuesday, October 28, 2014
Friday, July 18, 2014
Tell Me About Heaven
Heaven
Finding Hope in The Reality of Heaven
Click on the title for the link to listen.
What happens after death? See what the Bible says.
I remember singing that "Heaven is a
wonderful place...wanna go there." But why is heaven such a wonderful
place, and why should we long for a heavenly home?
The Bible says we will have "imperishable" bodies at the resurrection of the dead.
Will we be bored in Heaven? Will we just
float on clouds all day or end up sitting through an endless church
service in Heaven? What will we do in Heaven?
Thursday, March 6, 2014
When Fishermen Don't Fish
When Fishermen Don't Fish
~ Max Lacado
This week's cold spell reminded me of the first time I experienced the winter winds in the Hill Country. I was a teenager on a fishing trip. However, what I caught that week was much more than fish. I caught an insight into human nature.
The fishing crew consisted of my father, my best friend Mark, and me. We pulled our foldout camper down to Lake Buchanan during Spring Break anticipating a week of sun, swimming, and White Bass. That is not what we got.
During the first night, an unseasonable blue-northerner blew in. It got cold! The wind was so strong we could barely open the camper door. The sky was gray and the lake was a mountain range of white-topped waves. "No problem," we said. "We will spend the day in the camper. We have Monopoly. We have Reader's Digest. We all know a few jokes." So we spent the day indoors.
The second night it got colder. This time it was not the wind that made the door hard to open, it was the ice! We tried to be cheerful. "No problem. We can play Monopoly another ten times. We can reread the stories in the Reader's Digest. Surely we know another joke or two." Nevertheless, as courageous as we tried to be, some of the gloomy gray had obviously left the sky and entered the camper.
I noticed that Mark was irritable and edgy. I noticed that my father did not have a good sense of humor. (He told me to quit telling jokes.) It was a long day. It was a cold night.
When we awoke the next morning to the sound of sleet slapping against the canvas, we did not even try to pretend to be cheerful. We were flat-out grumpy. Mark became more of a jerk with each passing moment. My dad could not do any¬thing right and I wondered how someone so irritable could have such an even-tempered son. We sat in misery the whole day.
The next day was even colder. My dad wisely decided it was time for us to pack up and go home.
I learned a hard lesson that week. It is worth underlining. "When those Jesus calls to fish do not fish — they fight."
Christians never squabble when they are fishing for men. They do not have time! It is when we stay indoors that we grow irritable and cranky. Energy intended to be used outside is expended inside. Instead of casting nets, we cast stones. Rather than extend helping hands, we point accusing fingers. Instead of being fishers of the lost, we become critics of the saved.
The next time you are upset with a brother or sister, do yourself a favor, do the church a favor — get out of the cabin and go fishing... for men.
Reflect On This Thought
"If you must use a hammer, build something!"
~ Max Lacado
This week's cold spell reminded me of the first time I experienced the winter winds in the Hill Country. I was a teenager on a fishing trip. However, what I caught that week was much more than fish. I caught an insight into human nature.
The fishing crew consisted of my father, my best friend Mark, and me. We pulled our foldout camper down to Lake Buchanan during Spring Break anticipating a week of sun, swimming, and White Bass. That is not what we got.
During the first night, an unseasonable blue-northerner blew in. It got cold! The wind was so strong we could barely open the camper door. The sky was gray and the lake was a mountain range of white-topped waves. "No problem," we said. "We will spend the day in the camper. We have Monopoly. We have Reader's Digest. We all know a few jokes." So we spent the day indoors.
The second night it got colder. This time it was not the wind that made the door hard to open, it was the ice! We tried to be cheerful. "No problem. We can play Monopoly another ten times. We can reread the stories in the Reader's Digest. Surely we know another joke or two." Nevertheless, as courageous as we tried to be, some of the gloomy gray had obviously left the sky and entered the camper.
I noticed that Mark was irritable and edgy. I noticed that my father did not have a good sense of humor. (He told me to quit telling jokes.) It was a long day. It was a cold night.
When we awoke the next morning to the sound of sleet slapping against the canvas, we did not even try to pretend to be cheerful. We were flat-out grumpy. Mark became more of a jerk with each passing moment. My dad could not do any¬thing right and I wondered how someone so irritable could have such an even-tempered son. We sat in misery the whole day.
The next day was even colder. My dad wisely decided it was time for us to pack up and go home.
I learned a hard lesson that week. It is worth underlining. "When those Jesus calls to fish do not fish — they fight."
Christians never squabble when they are fishing for men. They do not have time! It is when we stay indoors that we grow irritable and cranky. Energy intended to be used outside is expended inside. Instead of casting nets, we cast stones. Rather than extend helping hands, we point accusing fingers. Instead of being fishers of the lost, we become critics of the saved.
The next time you are upset with a brother or sister, do yourself a favor, do the church a favor — get out of the cabin and go fishing... for men.
Reflect On This Thought
"If you must use a hammer, build something!"
Thursday, February 27, 2014
Wednesday, February 19, 2014
Evangelism takes both words and action.
Let me start with a question: What is
the best thing that has happened to you over the past three months? We all
love to talk about our good news.
After you have an answer in mind, move on
to the more important question. Did you tell anyone about it? Odds are,
you did. An old marketing adage says you tell three others when you have a
great experience with a brand. A more recent study put
it higher—7.44 people to be exact. In sum, “people enjoy speaking of positive
news and remember good news clearly.”
God wired us to share good news. God
designed us in His image, so we've taken on, at least on our better days, some
of His characteristics. Like God, we love sharing wonderful news. The
Scriptures even speak highly of those who do: “How beautiful are the feet of
those who bring good news” (Isaiah 52:7).
What keeps us from sharing the gospel
with those who don’t know Jesus?
In order to multiply, we must speak the
good news. For “how to” resources, go to http://reallifeconversion.blogspot.com/
Words and actions are like two wings of
an airplane, and you won’t catch flight in witness with just one or the other.
Sunday, February 2, 2014
Saturday, February 1, 2014
Seeking God Will
Searching for Truth
Please view the first program which is 15-minutes in length, then you will be able to decide whether to watch the additional 5 programs that are designed to help you find the answers to these questions.
Did you know that on the average, 107 people die every minute? That's a staggering number. As much as we might like to go on living, all of us will face death. But what happens to us when we die? Does life after death exist? If so, what kind of life? Does heaven exist? Does hell exist? And if so, what will happen to you when you die? More important, will it matter what you believed or how you lived in this life?
As we observe the Universe, the Earth, and the amazing human body, it is easy to conclude that these things could not have occurred by accident. They are, in fact, the product of an intelligent Creator. But what kind of Creator? What do we really know about Him? Does He really care about His creation? What is He like? Can we know Him? And where can we go to find the answers to such questions?
In today's religious world, there is a great deal of debate about what is right and what is wrong. When it comes to matters of faith, there are a number of differing viewpoints. But which one is correct? And who determines what is right? Who gets to make the rules? Who or what is the final authority in religious matters? Is it the church, the Bible, a creed book, or a council of scholars? Who, or what, has authority in religious matters? In other words, who makes the rules? And where can we go to find the answers?
The word church is used well over one hundred times in the New Testament. It is obviously a very important word but what, exactly, does it mean? Is the church merely a place for worship? Is it the sum of all the religious denominations? Or, is it something more personal and spiritual? And furthermore, how important is the church? And, does Jesus have a church to which we must belong in order to be saved?
Most people in the world live in some kind of house or dwelling. Those houses come in all shapes and sizes—with different floor plans and layouts, and furnished in a lot of different ways. Yet each home is precious and unique to its owner. But have you ever wondered whether or not God owns a house? And if He does, how could we recognize that house if we were to go in search of it today?
In today's world, there are many differing viewpoints about baptism. Some say that babies should be baptized,while others say that it is reserved only for adults. Some believe that baptism is necessary for salvation, while others do not. What is the truth about baptism? Have you ever wondered about whether or not you needed to be baptized? And, if you have been baptized, was your baptism for the right reason as described in the Bible?
For more information, go to
Searching for Truth
Also, there are a number of other lessons at
Search TV
To contact me at the church where I serve, go to
Edmond Church of Christ in Edmond, OK
Friday, January 10, 2014
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